Conditions: Early morning groomers that were a mix of firm and icy to soft and chundery, bluebird skies, minimal wind, and slightly warmer spring temps.

Flex: This board has a smooth even consistent middle of the road flex. More play in the tips, a hinged flex point where the camber meets the rocker zone, stable and slightly stiffer under foot, and then more play in the middle. The torsional flex matches up to the lateral flex.

Stability: You can feel a lot of the vibrations in the snow due to the the rocker in the tips not being fully engaged when the board is weighted. These vibrations resonate back towards the binding where the board has a more stable area due to the camber. Over all this board is a middle of the road all mountain freestyle flex that is more on the side of lively than damp.

Ollies: Much like the Typo from Yes. this board has a hinged flex point. It adds to the snap out of the camber zone. If you want to pop you can pop. It’s all about how much you put into the board to get out of it.

Pop On Jumps: Jumping was a breeze on this board and while it will excel at small to medium jumps if you’re a more confident rider don’t hesitate hitting a larger jump. It does what it needs to do and won’t let you down. The snap off the lip is much like an ollie, you get what you put into it.

Butterability: The rocker zones in the tip are playful and have a snap out of them due to the camber zone where they meet. If you put your weight over the board it stays locked with minimal effort, this makes it fun for all sorts of butter variations.

Jibbing: Slow or fast speeds don’t matter with this board. It wants to jib, it locks into presses, and it still has the snap to pop back out.

Carving: Underbite 101 adds to the ability to get this board on edge. The profiling makes sense you have less in the tips and more in the middle, but underfoot you don’t have a bump out, you have a bump in so as to make the rider not feel a loss of contact when on edge. Railing turns is easy and the board locks in through a deep carve with ease. Short quick turns are where this board excels.

Rider in Mind: The rider that wants a board they can play around with but still do it all.

Personal Thoughts: The Basic is one of the longest running decks in the Yes. lineup. It’s been a staple board that has undergone a few changes over the last five years. Over all this board is a versatile deck that for the person that can only have a quiver of one I wouldn’t hesitate to look at.

hey great reviews!!
6′ @ 190lbs
Love tearing up the mountain and cutting through trees but recently started getting into more parks stuff. Just want a great all around board that I can butter a bit but still haul ass through trees.
the ones that caught my eyes are yes basic, rossi jibsaw and the rome gangplank….what do you think ??? thanks in advance

Kind of all over the place with choices. Gangplank is a park board you can ride outside the park if it’s a relatively small mountain, Basic is a meat and potato board that does it all but nothing spectacular, Jibsaw honestly is probably the best of the three choices you’re listing as it can handle everything and do it really well.

I think they’re two different boards designed around two different riders.

Matthew Peters says:November 22, 2016 at 5:18 pm

Sorry I was referring to the flying v not the off axis. At the bottom of your flying v where it says comparable boards, you put the yes basic.
Which one is better to all mountain most of the time with a bit of park?

They’re both equally good it comes down to the camber profile and what you want out of the board. The Basic is a beginner to intermediate board that you can progress with and has no real bells and whistles, the other is The Process.

Hi there, I am a beginner-intermediate rider, have only just started but am progressing at a decent speed. After reading reviews I had decided to purchase the Yes Basic, however my local shop stocks the Salomon Craft & so I have been looking at that board. Which would you recommend between the two? I’d like to try a bit of everything but I suspect the majority of my riding will be outside of the park.

Hey,
Been thinking about getting a new board and trying to decide whether to go for this board, the Salomon Assassin, capita DOA or stick with my endeavor guerilla 2013(alltough I understand if you cant comment on this one, since its a bit old)

I ride all mountain, really want to get in to buttering and hit some jumps but still wanna be able to carve at high and low speeds, still ride some powder when I can come across it on the resorts. The main problem is that i’m not sure if Id need a new board or if im fine with my current for those tasks.﻿

The 2013 guerilla is multi camber, with camber in between bindings to contact points and reverse camber after.

Yeah, thats kinda what I have been thinking aswell TBH. I bought my current board when I had 2 seasons in from just learning, I ride 1-2weeks/year. Been getting the wrong mindset thinking I could progress more with what I want to do with my riding if I get a new board that easier can handle the things I want to do(like butter & carve harder). Even though the one I got now probably works just fine since it has that reverse camber at the nose and tail and camber in between.

Hey bro,
Looking to upgrade boards after a season in japan and two in new zealand tossing up between the Yes basic, k2 subculture and Ride manic all 2017 boards. What are your thoughts? or am i way off base.
Cheers

Subculture is far more aggressive than the Manic or Basic. If you’re looking for something that’s stiff yet snappy then get the Subculture, but if you want something more playful and well rounded get the Basic. Fuck the Manic.

Hi , I’m 6ft, only 67 kg , 2nd trip snowboarding, is the YES Basic suitable for me? The Ride Highlife I rented on my first trip was 161 and 3/4 inch longer nose I think.. just wondering if that may have been why I struggled so much not spinning round to switch?- probably the complete lack of skill too haha, just thought I’d ask your opinion. Many thanks, great site , I’ve linked my mates to it:)

Hello;
How would compare the Basic vs the Jackpot from Yes as well; and against the Capita DOA?
Looking at good all mtn freestyle options that would not break the bank.
I am riding an old K2 Parkstar as I have 2 kids so my past 3 winters have been spent mostly on the bunny hills with them…
Thanks!

Is this a serious question? The DOA is a top tiered cambered beast, the Basic is a begintermediate board. They’re not even in the same league. The Jackpot is a volume shifted twin park board. Get an Arbor Coda if you want all mountain freestyle.

Hello;
How would compare the Basic vs the Jackpot from Yes as well; and against the Capita DOA?
Looking at good all mtn freestyle options that would not break the bank.
I am pretty experienced rider but my time riding shrunk considerably over past 5 years because of kids. So I am riding an old K2 Parkstar as my past 3 winters have been spent mostly on the bunny hills with them…Now looking to update my gear as one is able to ride by himself.
Will ride mostly slopes and park as I leave on the East Coast and the past winters have been miserable here.
I am 6’1 for 165 lbs and sz 11. so need wide board.
Thanks!

Hey,
I’m a beginner and looking to buy a board that allows me to progress quick but doesn’t need to be replaced after a season or two.

I’ve been looking at the Yes Basic and the Völkl Sleek, however I’m not able to find a single review of the Sleek. Only thing I was able to pry from the internet is that Völkl’s boards are quality made.

You also did not review the Sleek, but maybe know someone who did or could point me towards one board or another. I’m looking to go carving and into pow once my technique allows for it, park and that stuff isn’t my thing.

Bindings I’m looking at the K2 Indy since you recommended them and last year’s Burton Cartel.

If you could give me a recommendation that would be great.
Cheers, and thanks in advance!

I think those numbers don’t mean fuck all. It’s just below a middle of the road flex that will get softer after it really breaks in. It’s a snowboard, if it doesn’t work in pow then someone fucked up designing it.

Hi there. Love the site and especially your replies in the comments section. Very informative.
Im a relative newbie. The last 2 years ive probably done 3 weeks total. Im doing mostly red and blue groomers with a little off piste if im with my mates with a black here and there when i’m on my game. Not hitting the park at all. Im 100kg rugby player.
Im interested in buying my first board and therefore have kept my budget to around 350 euros. What i’ve found is the yes basic, rossignol templar, burton clash, salomon sight in my price range. All around 159-161 with bindings
Im hoping to kind of future proof as well and not have to buy another board for a couple of years
Am I on the right track? Which of these would you recommend please?
I can get a good deal on a turbo dream as well.

Hi angry,
I guess I’d be a low intermediate, east coast rider. Lots of ice and hard pack. I want to start doing some small jumps and and boxes as well. Yes basic or k2 raygun or something else. Thanks.

Hi Angry,
Intermediate rider, 5’8″ and a chunky 200lbs looking to finally buy my first board (by intermediate, I mean I’m comfortable on reds, can get down blacks but it ain’t always pretty, and I carve sometimes but not yet consistently)
Looking for a board that’s more on the stable side of things, and can cope with those icy runs, that’ll help me develop and get my head fully around carving. I pretty much stick to the pistes, maybe a bit of side piste, but don’t venture into the parks.
Local shop are suggesting the Yes Basic in a 155, and have said to consider maybe the Jones Explorer 156 or Yes Typo 155 as well, and Burton Cartel bindings. Is the Basic a no-brainer here, or are there some alternatives I should be looking at? And are those lengths about right given my weight vs. ability do you think?
Cheers.

Decided to buy this board for my first snowboard and wondered which bindings between the flow five and the flow nx2 would be best suited. I really like the idea of ease of getting into and out of but don’t really want to spend crazy money so the burton step ons are out of the question, plus i already have my own boots too. I will be mainly sticking to groomers. I would say I am beginner/intermediate with 2 boarding holidays under the belt and lots of sessions on the indoor slopes. I ride with adidas superstars UK 10 size if that makes any difference? If you don’t think these are suitable which others do you think could be good for me ?

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